Wire-stretcher.



lit

To all whom t 'may concern: `.Be'it known that I, JULIUS ancitizen .of the United States, residing at` Durand, in the county of Pepin and StateV of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lire-Stretchers, of.

-rnn smarts rarmir ortica.'

J'ULIUS J. mason, or ionamin, wisconsin.

resinas.:

J. LARsoN,

which the following is a specification.

'My4 invention A'relates' to wire stretchers, and comprehends improvements to that class commonly known as step-bystep type.

. The principal object of the present invention is to provide a wire stretcher which is adapted to be mounted upon a fence post and stretch the wire' strand past the'same and retain 1t into engagement 4with the post, thus facilitatingthe stapling or otherwise 'securing the wire strand to the post.

Another important object of the invention A f I' is to provide-a wire stretcher'of this type 20v or turning on the fence post and thereby' which is effectively retained against tilting cause the pull to'be in a direct line with the wire strand1 and not at an angle theretol as is the case with sometypes of wire stretchers.

A further object resides in .the provision of a wire stretcher, the frame of which is formed from a single length of rod which formed so as to rigidly brace that part of the frame which' is adapted to engage the post'. f

,Still another object of .the invention resides in the provision of a wire stretcher which has a guide associated therewith, which will facilitate the engagement of the wire strand therein and effectively guide the same. Another general object resides in the provision of a wire stretcher which is compact and which consists of few parts, which are not likelyV to become inoperative, which may be quickly and readily attached and detached with and from the fence post, and which may be manufactured and placed on the 45 market at a minimum cost.

rlhe above objects together with others will be fully apparent upon reference to the following detailed description and accom .are wire clamping elements 17.

pany drawing.

The invention consists ofV constructions, combinations, arrangements -and operations which will be hereinafter specifically set forth and the inventive features will be fully recited in the appended claims.

l ment with WRE-STRETCHER.

Patented aan. alla, reis.

Application tiled une 19, 1917. Serial No. 175,690.

On they drawing: Flgure'l is a top elevation of my improved wire stretcher in operative position, the fenceposts'being shown in section,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same taken at right-angles to Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 isa fragmentary 'view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking toward the operating lever. .L

Referring in detail to the drawing, wherein like characters of reference''designate like parts in all the views, the numeral 5 designates a length of rod which possesses the necessary rigidity.' This length of rod 5 is extended to provide a side bar 6 which is.

bowed intermediate its-ends to provide a member 7, which is adapted tb accommodate the fence post..

This length 5 is bent at right-angles as at' 8 and 9 and extended reversely and in parallelism with the sidebar 6. This reversely extended portionis substantially rectangu ar in cross section and` is formed with rack teeth at its opposite side edges. This part having the rack teeth thereon shall be hereinafter referred to as a rack bar 10. From the forward end of the rack bar the length of rod is curved longitudinally and lies against the member .'7 as indicated by the numeral 11. 'This lends rigidity to the device. From the longitudinally curved portion 11, the rod is extended inwardly and obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rack -bar and is integrally connected with the forward end of the side bar 6asat12. The extremity of that part of the rod 5 which constitutes the side bar 6 is formed with horizontally disposed convolution 13 which. terminates into an upwardly andangularly disposed guide lug 14. This guide lug is adapted to overlie the wire strand and retain the same in a position where it will move over the convolution 13.

Longitudinally movable over the rack bar pivoted pawls 16. Also pivotally mounted on the lever 15 and between These elements 17 are `disposed in alinethe .guide lug 14 and 'both this lug and the wire clamping. element aredisclamping exposed so thatl the wire strandl will bear against the fencepost-as clearly illustrated in rig. 1. Thus a will be Seen that the lever l may be locked into position on'the rack commodated in the bowed member 7 and has one end attached to this member adjacent.

This post engagingone end of the same. member. 18 is adapted to extend aroundv the post as illustrated in the drawing. and is Jr'ormed 'with one cnd'of a chain or other. flexible element 20. 11i-order to retain the resilient vband 18 into bindingengagement with the post a hook 2l ismounted in the rod 5 adjacent to that end of the band which is immovable and is adapted for engagement with the flexible element 2 0.

In order to. prevent tliedevice from slipping around the fence post, a claw 2l having teeth at its opposite end which are adapted. to be embedded in the post as shown in the drawing is provided and is pivotally 'ccn-` nectedwith the band 18 as at 22. This claw is of a shape to conform tothe contour of the fence post. v

From `this disclosure the operation of the device"`will be readily apparent and I Wish to here state thatthe form ofthe invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing is merely illustrative and' that lmay make such legitimate changes and modifications that may be embodied in the herewith appended claims.4 g

lllliat is claimed is:

l. A wire stretcher, comprising side bars' connected together-'at' their respective ends to form a frame, one of said side bars being bowed inwardly for a portion of itslength to provide a post receiving space, means for fasteningthe frame to the post, a lever arranged to travel along one of said side bars, and wire clamping members carried by said lever'. V

2. A wire stretcher, comprising a pair of side bars connected together at their respecf tive ends to form a frame, one end of said frame being extended and convoluted to form a guide loop offset from the longitudinal center of the frame alined with apor-` tion of one of said side bars, teeth formed o n `in presence of two witnesses.

and arranged to clamp the Wire therebel tween.

3. -A wire stretcher'including spaced side barsl connected .together at .their respective ends to form a frame, one of .said side bars having an intermediate portion thereof bowed inwardly to provide apost receiving space, a post engagingstrip secured to 'said inwardly bowed portion,.and achain carried by said strip, said chain adapted to be 'passed around the .post and secured'to the.

frame, a wire stretching means supported on said frame.

4. A wire stretcher', including a frame,

comprising side bars, one of said side bars having an intermediate bowed portion to re-- ceive a, supporting post, -a'post engaging strip secured to saidv bowed portion, a post engaging claw' carried bysa'id stri-p and .adapted to be embedded in the post, a chain carried by one end of said 'strip-a hook positioned on the :trame'to receive the free end of the hook, and wire stretching means Supported by said frame. v 5. A wire stretcher, including a pair. of spaced side bars secured together at their respective ends to form a frame, one of said side bars being bowed inwardly for a por# .tion of its length to provide a'post receiving spa-ce, one end .of the frame "being extended and convoluted to form la guide loop o'set from. the longitudinal center of the frame and alined with said inwardly bowed porf tion, teeth formed on'the bar opposite `the 1post engaging bar'and alined with.` saidinwardly bowedportion andthe loop, and a` wire stretching lever, movable along saidtjoothed port-ion and carrying actuatin pawls engageablel with said teeth.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature JULIUs .Ln/inson.

lVitnesses: t

Gnd TARRANT, G. H. ARLINGTON. 

